I have a thing for Weird Plants ...

... or so it seems. A friend of mine has commented on various plant photos that I've posted and told me that they creep her out. I don't know whether it's a perception on her part or a twist in my psyche. In my defence, I will say that my mother was a professional florist and obsessive gardener, so maybe it's a part of my heritage. Rather than being disturbed by it, said friend's astute comments have led to story inspirations, so I thought I'd share some of the pictures with you. Then maybe you can tell me whether I have a freaky thing for plants!

 Bergamot

Passionflower

Aquilegia

Cone Flower

Clematis

This last one inspired one of my favourite pieces, and an unusually gruesome one for me.

As he stared down at her, Jinx gazed wide-eyed over his shoulder with bemusement written over her face as something velvet-soft draped itself across his shoulders in a gentle caress. Irritated, his focus on his captive, Keir shrugged it off, but soon more feather-light touches stroked over his torso. He sat up abruptly, releasing Jinx's arms and glancing behind him. Long, langorous petals petals like wide ribbons of deep rose satin with delicately feathered edges were drifting over him in slow, graceful sweeps. One wrapped itself lovingly around his injured arm and he flinched at the sudden sting as though acid had been dripped into his wounds, a hissed breath of pain forced from him at the shock of it as he tried to jerk his arm free. The petal merely coiled tighter with unexpected steel in its grip, prickling wherever it touched in sharp contrast to the initial softness of its caresses. More had entwined themselves unnoticed around his legs and waist in silken coils that had an impossible strength, and burned as he tugged against them.

So am I weird? Or did you find some inspiration among the petals too? :-P